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NLC, NUJ, Others Urge FG To Call Mbu To Order …Police Deny Detaining AIT Reporter
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly condemned the detention of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) journalist-cum-presenter, Amaechi Anakwe on the orders of Assistant Inspector General of Police in Abuja, Mbu Joseph Mbu, warning that “we shall resist any attempt to gag the press or harass any one going about their lawful duty in a peaceful and lawful manner”.
NLC, in the statement signed by its General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo- Eson, said “It is too soon to forget that the media played a leading role in securing the fourth republic for Nigerians. That task was not accomplished by playing the lapdog of everyone”.
While recalling that Mbu said, “The offence of Anakwe is that he had referred to Mbu as “controversial”, which in our view is neither derogatory nor libelous. Even if the word or sentence were otherwise, there are lawful channels of redress. Mbu cannot be judge and prosecutor in his own case,” the congress asserted, stressing that “Freedom of speech is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to which we are all answerable in spite of our station in life”.
It argued that “the arrest and detention of Anakwe is therefore a calculated attempt to muzzle the press and free speech in the democracy. And it does not appear to be an isolated case as a few months earlier, this same Mbu violently broke up the Bring-Back-the -Chibok- Girls Campaign on the basis of a non-existent law, drawing international condemnation of the government.
“His (Mr. Mbu’s) antecedents in Rivers State from where he was deployed to Abuja are not less sinister. Rather than receive a reprimand, Mbu was rewarded with a choice posting and promotion, with not a few speculating that he is being positioned to be IGP,” the congress added.
NLC further recalled “A few weeks ago, a chest- thumping Mbu had boasted at his hand-over ceremony that he was “the lion that tamed the tiger of Rivers State.
The umbrella labour union explained that it is expedient to “Sound a note of caution on Mr Mbu. His above-the-law attitude to the work of law enforcement gives him out as one that is more inclined to promoting anarchy than the rule of law”.
According to the NLC, “He (Mbu) does not seem to represent the mainstream 21st century police, if his routine primitive, partisan and primordial outbursts are anything to go by. He is a serial embarrassment to the Police Force we need,” stressing that what Nigeria needs “is a Police Force that is concerned with public good, law, order and justice. We doubt Mbu is in the right company”.
Also, for failing to adhere strictly with the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill recently signed into law by the legislature and the executive, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for severe sanctions against the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 7, Division, Joseph Mbu, for illegal arrest, detention and charging to court Mr. Amaechi Anakwe last week.
Addressing the media yesterday in Abuja, the NUJ President, Mohammed Garuba, said that the union views the action as an affront to the freedom of expression as well as freedom of the press which runs contrarily to the FOI Act just passed into law.
He, therefore, requested the police authorities to sanction Mbu, including sacking him from the Nigerian police.
“Although the case has been withdrawn by the police and Mbu, the NUJ has officially written to the Acting Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission to ensure that Mbu is punished for such an evil act against our colleague. Thank God that organisations like the NBA, NMA and civil society groups has equally joined the media to call for the sack of Mbu.”
Garuba stated that the NUJ will not allow the matter to be swept under the carpet for whatever reason.
“We have written to the acting inspector-general of police, we have also written to the Police Service Commission to ensure that Mbu is punished accordingly.”
The NUJ president explained that the union expects the police to partner the media to ensure that insecurity, kidnappings and killings are brought to a halt rather than engaging in unnecessary arrest of innocent journalists.
He said NUJ is confident that the acting Inspector-General of Police would ensure justice in the matter.
“He is an officer of proven integrity, he has been ensuring a cordial relationship with the media at every position he has held up till now. We believe he will do the right thing.”
Garuba added that should the police authorities fail to act accordingly, the union will have no option than to embark on mass protest and strikes in Abuja.
Similarly, some senior lawyers and civil society organisations in the country have called for Mbu’s sack.
Nigerians from all walks of life have expressed disgust over the many infractions committed by Mbu.
Among them are two distinguished legal practitioners and Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, Itse Sagay and Mike Ozekhome.
In separate interviews yesterday, the duo condemned Mbu’s ill treatment of Anakwe in the strongest of terms.
Similarly, a Port Harcourt-based civil society group, Doing Democracy Movement-Nigeria (DDM-N), has invited well-meaning Nigerians to join the campaign to get Mbu out of the Nigeria Police.
The DDM-N’s Convener, Anyakwee Nsirimovu, made this known in Port Harcourt while speaking with newsmen on the controversial arrest of the broadcast journalist.
Anakwe had described Mbu as “controversial” during an interview programme on the AIT and was subsequently arrested, detained and prosecuted on the orders of the AIG.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.